Research Methods Flashcards
(121 cards)
1
Q
Normal distribution
A
The data from a sample that follows the normal spread of data
2
Q
Skewed distribution
A
The two sides of the graph don’t look the same, peak isn’t in the middle, can be positive or negative.
3
Q
Measure of central tendency
A
Mean, median and mode
4
Q
Measure of dispersion
A
How spread out the data is.
5
Q
Standard deviation
A
How much variation there is from the mean.
6
Q
Code of ethics
A
A set of rules that members of a professional body have to adhere to. Failure to do so can lead to being asked to leave the organisation.
7
Q
What are the code of ethics?
A
Informed consent
Privacy
Deception
Harm
Confidentiality
Withdraw
8
Q
Hypothesis
A
A statement that predicts the outcome of a study. Can be directional or non-directional.
9
Q
Extraneous variables
A
Variables in the environment that needs to be controlled
10
Q
Confounding variable
A
Variables that the researcher failed to control and so have interfered with the results.
11
Q
what is a lab experiment?
A
Lab experiments take place under strictly controlled conditions. The only variable that changes is the IV which is manipulated by the experimenter.
Extraneous variables are fully controlled.
12
Q
What are the strengths of a lab experiment?
A
High validity- tested what they intended to test.
Provides info that can show cause and effect
High control
13
Q
What are the weaknesses of a lab experiment?
A
Highly controlled and so take place in an artificial environment-lack ecological validity. Therefore a trade off between high control and ecological validity.
14
Q
What is a field experiment?
A
Field experiments take place under controlled conditions in the real world. The IV is changed by the experimenter.
The extraneous variables are controlled as much as can be.
15
Q
What are the strengths of a field experiment?
A
Good internal validity.
Provide cause and effect evidence.
A higher ecological validity than lab experiments.
16
Q
What are the weaknesses of a field experiment?
A
Greater risk of confounding variables affecting the DV so reduces validity of the research.
More expensive than a lab experiment.
Some research is impossible to do outside of a lab.
17
Q
What are natural experiments?
A
Natural experiments take place in the real world and occur when a researcher measures a naturally occurring variable.
18
Q
What are the strengths of a natural experiment?
A
Highest ecological validity- it is real.
Study something that is unethical or that is too expensive to run.
19
Q
What are the weaknesses of a natural experiment?
A
No control, so not possible to show cause and effect.
Easy to misinterpret what is recorded as there’s lots of confounding variables.
20
Q
What’s a quasi experiment?
A
An experiment that includes an IV that is not under full control. These usually occur naturally.
21
Q
What is repeated measures?
A
This is where a study has one group of participants who take part in every level of the IV.
22
Q
What is the strength of a repeated measure?
A
No participant differences between conditions.
23
Q
What is the weakness of repeated measures?
A
The DV can be influenced by order effects.
24
Q
Dealing with order effects
A
In order to prevent order effects you counterbalance the order of conditions.
For example half of the group learns to juggle balls first and the other half learn to juggle clubs first.
25
What is independent groups?
A different group of participants completed each level of the IV.
26
What are the strengths of independent group?
Prevents order effects from affecting the experiment.
27
What is the weakness of independent groups?
The DV may be influenced by participant variables as there are different participants in each group.
28
Dealing with issues for independent groups: random allocation
You would use random allocation to make it less likely that 1 group will have all the best participants in it so prevents researcher from manipulating the groups to get a specific result.
To do this you would put names into a computer and ask it to randomly select the names.
29
What is matched pairs?
Different participants complete each level of the IV. However the participants have been matched in some way. Paired on key variables. eg, age
30
What are the strengths of matched pairs?
No order effects
Participants differences have been controlled
31
What are the weaknesses of matched pairs?
Need a lot of participants to choose from
Expensive
32
What is blind double?
The experimenter doesn’t know which group the participant is in AND participant doesn’t know what group they are in.
This stops bias in the experiment.
33
What is blind single?
The participant is not aware of which level of the IV they are in.
This helps prevent the participant from trying to figure out what the experiment is about.
34
What is a method for random sampling?
Assign a number to everyone in target population. Put the numbers of everyone into a computer random number generator. Then ask the generator to select the number of participants you require.
35
What is the strength of random sampling?
Researcher cannot bias the results therefore everyone has an equal opportunity.
36
What is the weakness of random sampling?
When sample is small there is a chance that it will be biased.
37
What is opportunity sampling?
Researcher chooses the participants who are there at the time they run the study.
38
What is the strength of opportunity sampling?
It is the easiest method. You ask who is there.
39
What is the weakness of opportunity sampling?
Always biased. You pick who you want to ask.
40
What is volunteer sampling?
Researcher advertises the study. For example posters or adverts.
41
What is the strength of volunteer sampling?
You can reach a wide variety of participants. So more representative.
42
What are the weaknesses of volunteer sampling?
Volunteer bias.
Volunteers can be more motivated for the study to go well.
43
What is systematic sampling?
Choosing participants using a system.
For example:
Set a list of target population and ok k every 10th person.
44
What is the strength of systematic sampling?
Unbiased
45
What is the weakness of systematic sampling?
Some people will never be selected as they’re not in the 10th position for example.
46
What is stratified sampling?
Researcher divides the target groups into sections, each representing a key characteristic that should be present for final sample.
47
What are the strengths of stratified sampling?
Likely to be represented of target population.
Low chance of bias
48
What is the weakness of stratified sampling?
Time consuming than other methods.
49
What is snowball sampling?
Used with clinical populations and people engage in illegal behaviours. You find one person who agrees to take part then ask them is friends can take part.
50
What is an observation?
The main way of collecting data on how people behave.
51
What is a field observation?
Field observations take place in the real world so not controlled.
52
What are the strengths of a field observation?
High ecological validity.
You can observe things that are impossible to do in a lab.
53
What is the weakness of a field observation?
Less controlled in a situation.
54
What is a lab observation?
Lab observations are set up in a lab and are highly controlled.
55
What are the strengths of a lab observation?
Highly controlled.
Can be set up to create the exact situation that you want.
56
What are the weaknesses of a lab observation?
Low ecological validity.
Some things are not possible to observe in a lab.
57
What is a participant observation?
Observer takes part in what’s happening.
58
What are the strengths of a participant observation?
Experience exactly what it’s like.
Observed can observe the fine details and experience things like emotion.
59
What is the weakness of participant observations?
Researcher misses the whole picture.
60
What is a non-participant observation?
The researcher doesn’t take part in what’s happening.
61
What’s the strength of a non-participant observation?
Researcher can observe the whole situation.
62
What’s the weakness of a non-participant observation?
Researcher might miss fine details.
63
What is a covert observation?
People who are observed don’t know that they are being observed.
64
What is the strength of a covert observation?
Participants don’t change their behaviour.
65
What is the weakness of a covert observation?
Researcher deceives to maintain cover. Unethical.
66
What is an overt observation?
Participants know that they are being observed.
67
What is the strength of an overt observation?
No ethical issues.
68
What is the weakness of an overt observation?
Participants are more likely to change behaviour.
69
what are the types of hypotheses?
Directional= states the specific difference that you expect to find.
Non-directional= States that there will be a difference but not the direction.
70
When do you use a directional hypothesis?
If there’s previous research that indicates the likely difference that you will find.
71
When do you use a non-directional hypothesis?
If there’s no previous research.
72
What is a null hypothesis?
Every piece of research has a hypothesis and a null hypothesis. It is what the researcher is aiming to test.
It states that there will be no difference and no relationship.
73
What is a correlation hypothesis?
In correlation we have co-variables instead of an IV and DV.
Examples of co-variables are:
Height and weight.
74
What is a non-directional correlation hypothesis?
There will be a relationship between show size and a persons height for example.
75
What is a directional correlation all hypothesis?
It includes either positive or negative to make it directional.
76
What is a content analysis?
The content of some form of recorded communication is analysed. Can be conducted on things such as adverts and songs.
77
What is a closed question?
-Quantitative data
-Yes/No answers
-Circling or ticking an answer
-Asking for a numerical value
78
What is quantitative data?
Any numerical data. For example the number of cakes.
79
What are open questions?
-Qualitative data
-Ask for ended information from the participant.
-Often have a box to write answer
-Can be long or short answers
80
What are open questions?
-Qualitative data
-Ask for ended information from the participant.
-Often have a box to write answer
-Can be long or short answers
81
What is qualitative data?
Word information, thoughts and feelings.
Never in the form of numbers.
82
What is a questionnaire?
Contains both open and closed questions which tend to be easier to answer.
83
What are the strengths of a questionaire?
Quick
Cheap
Easy to analyse as questions are less complicated.
Can be given to more participants easily.
84
What are the weaknesses of a questionaire?
Participant cannot ask questions to check understanding.
Researcher cannot ask follow up questions.
Researcher cannot prompt participants if a question confuses them.
85
What’s a structured interview?
All questions are decided before you ask only the questions that were picked at the beginning.
86
What’s an unstructured interview?
A topic area is chosen and 1 or 2 initial questions are asked. However researcher creates more questions in response to participants answer.
87
What are semi-structured interviews?
Interview has some pre-chosen questions and also allows interview to ask questions.
88
What are the strengths of interviews?
Ask follow up questions.
More detail
Prompt a participant when they don’t understand a question.
89
What are the weaknesses of an interview?
Requires more training.
Have to meet participant.
Long time to analyse data.
90
What are correlations?
When you are comparing two “linked” variables to see if they change together.
91
What are the types of correlations?
Positive, negative, no correlation and curvilinear.
92
What is curvilinear?
As one increases the other increases until you reach a peak and then as one increases the other decreases.
93
What are the strengths of curvilinear data?
Can be conducted on secondary data so cheap to run.
Only method that shows relationship.
Can be replicated easily as only need to share data with another person.
94
What are the weaknesses of curvilinear data?
Misinterpreted as cause and effect, which is doesn’t show.
Intervening variables.
95
What are case studies?
Study one person in detail.
96
What is the strength of a case study?
It allows researcher to study something that would be unethical to do otherwise.
97
What is the weakness of a case study?
Participants cannot really be compared to anyone else.
98
What is a longitudinal study?
These studies last months or even years.
They are useful for recording changes over time.
99
What’s the strength of a longitudinal study?
Only way to measure changes over time.
100
What are the weaknesses of a longitudinal study?
High number of participants drop out, especially in longer studies. Therefore higher attrition.
Expensive to run.
101
What is meta analysis?
A study that collects secondary data from one topic from previous studies. They are put together in one meta data set. This data set is then analysed.
102
What’s the strength of a meta analysis?
Lots of data means that meta analyses have a good chance of seeing if there are any large scale patterns.
103
What’s the weakness of a meta analysis?
Because each researcher was researching something different, your data isn’t always valid.
104
What is thematic analysis?
Looking for key themes. A summary of the themes is then written and quotations are used to support the themes identified.
A pilot study is run before the study starts.
105
What are the strengths of a thematic analysis?
Lots of detail and keeps the data in a detailed format.
High ecological validity.
106
What are the weaknesses of a thematic analysis?
The researcher is more likely to be subjective so makes comparison between researchers difficult.
Time consuming
Expensive
107
Dealing with subjectivity
To deal with this the researcher often declares their background and interests.
108
What is validity?
The research has measured what it’s intended to measure.
Same as internal validity.
109
What are the types of external validity?
Ecological validity
Mundane realism
Population validity
Temporal validity
110
What is ecological validity?
Generalise (compare) the results from the study to the real world.
111
What is mundane realism?
Same as ecological validity
112
What is population validity?
The sample of participants represent the population you would like to compare the sample to.
113
What is temporal validity?
Results from a study used to predict results or behaviour in the future.
114
What is generalisablilty?
Ability to compare results of a study to the real world.
115
When do we loose the ability to generalise results?
When participants are different.
When material is unrealistic
If study is conducted in a lab and so changes extent of behaviour so is no longer realistic.
116
What is reliability?
Same as consistency. Same thing each time.
117
How do we improve reliability?
Improve consistency of instruction rooms for participants.
More training for researchers so that they are more consistent in the way they run the research.
118
What are demand characteristics?
An individual altering their behaviour to try and match the intended outcome.
119
What is the problem with demand characteristics?
Research looses validity. Therefore the researcher will deceive the participants but explain the intention of research at the end.
120
What are the investigator effects?
The experiment can bias the results of a study by influencing participants behaviour.
121
How could you deal with investigator effects?
Participants could be given standardised instructions.
Using a double blind design.
